I got passed this link from Patrick's twitter feed.  This is how to rock out your wedding.  (Original link here)

Turn on your speakers and smile for a few minutes.

Via Colter, here's what I'm humming tonight, courtesy of Nashville duo Swan Dive:

I think I'm going to need this album...

Some of you knew about the full level of the shenanigans behind the giving of the quilt 'red shift.' For those of you who weren't there, feel the need to hear lots of truly gratuitous obscenities, or just want to giggle at 4x4 and Spitty getting their wedding present, I give you the videotaping of the giving of 'red shift,' videotaped by dear spousey Jeff.  Don't even try to pretend this is worksafe. Don't blame me if your ears bleed.

It was worth it.  Video (18M .mov file, alternate link here) after the jump.  Update:  Asai says no sound for her. It's playing fine for me. Anyone else having problems?

Extra notes:  no, you don't have to watch all the way through to the end.  I'm archiving the full thing for me; don't feel obligated to watch it all.

Back in 2003 I wrote about the experience of seeing a then unknown-to-me Damien Rice at WorkPlay, my favorite little music venue down in Birmingham, AL:

About halfway through the show, I realized what I was seeing. There are two different ways to interpret the word 'performance'; the first implies a simple recitation of a memorized work, and the second implies a live artistic expression. This guy was not just performing, in the latter sense of the word, he was brilliant.

It's rare to see something so breathtaking, and even rarer to recognize the fleeting breath of genius when it whispers in your ear. I put down my camera, draped my chin over the retaining wall in front of me, and listened, constantly fighting the urge to concentrate by closing my eyes. I could listen anytime I wanted, at home, but this was my only chance to see.

I admit, this is a shameless reblog from SassyBlonde's YouTube Roundup, but I'm with her on this one: Oren Lavie's video for "Her Morning Elegance" just makes me happy and I can't even explain why.

For those of us who spent the past eight years muttering that Bush scared us so much we could barely sleep at night, we now know where the sleep deficit went. I present Sarah Palin, who slept through the past eight years straight:

[direct link to YouTube]

I usually save the political stuff for solecist, but I look at her and think, if the Republicans win in November, the only thing keeping this kook from the presidency is the heart of a 70+ year-old man with a spotty health history.

Jeff and I watched this in mingled horror and amusement. Up to a certain point, it describes how I have been awakened almost every morning for seven years now. (Also explains why my first words every morning are usually some variation on "Dammit, Tenzing.")